When designing homes and buildings, especially in multi-family housing complexes, many developers face problems in isolating acoustics in-between rooms and units. To address this problem, support channels such as resilient channels and furring channels, in conjunction with sound isolation clips, have been used to decouple and isolate the sound vibrations that pass through the structural members and finishes, including gypsum board panels.
A support channel is typically a long, metal strip with one or more flanges protruding outwards. The support channel is generally used to reduce the amount of sound that is conducted through the structure and is generally fastened directly onto either ceiling or wall framing members to secure the finishes, including gypsum boards and frame supports of the structure. As sound waves passing through the structural members are terminated, a secondarily path of sound transmission through the gypsum board panels is created. Sound waves become absorbed within the space area enclosed by the finishes and gypsum board, thereby insulating the adjacent room from noise. Examples of support channels that are commonly used are the resilient channel (e.g., RC-1 resilient channel) and the furring channel (e.g., hat channel).
Despite the sound isolation characteristics of a support channel, a desired level of acoustical isolation is sometimes not met. Thus, developers have addressed this issue by also incorporating a sound isolation clip along with the support channel. A sound isolation clip is generally a fastening device that assists the support channel member in dampening the acoustics transmitted through a wall or ceiling. The sound isolation clip typically includes a bracket and screw and preferably attaches onto one or more flanges of a support channel, such that the support channel fastens and suspends onto the underlying frame support of a wall. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,647,744 issued to Payne discloses a sound clip that attaches to a lip of a resilient channel to further acoustically isolate vibrations in the drywall from the stud. The sound clip disclosed in Payne is constructed of a metal strip or band and utilizes two bushings or grommets. Although the clip disclosed in Payne is used to fasten the resilient channel to a wall frame to acoustically isolate vibrations in the drywall, the sound isolation clip in Payne is relatively stiff and rigid with limited deflection when attached onto a wallboard panel and support frame. This, in turn, generally results with lack of effective sound dissipation and acoustic absorption through a wall and double deflection. The teachings disclosed in Payne do not disclose the contribution of a smooth shank mounting screw as is incorporated in the sound isolation clip utility disclosed herein. The smooth shank mounting screw allows free movement and thereby double deflection at the critical mountings point thereby terminating structure born noise transmission.
Furthermore, the installation of conventional sound clips may be complicated, thereby resulting with a failure to achieve the desired sound insulation. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,895,803 issued to Downey discloses a clip to be attached to two flanges of a drywall furring channel which has two protrusions. However, the Downey clip is directed to only furring channels and is very difficult to install because the location of the attachment screws are covered by the drywall furring channel. Furthermore, other sound isolation clips in the marketplace are also generally spaced in a staggered pattern, making the field installation more complicated. Because a span limitation exists on the resilient channel—that is, each flange of the resilient channel is only a half-inch thick and has only one mounting point—installation of the sound isolation clip is restricted to every intersection between the structural member and furring channel.
Thus, there is a long felt need for an improved system for sound isolation that is inexpensive, easy to install, and significantly dampens sound. Because most sound isolation clips are configured to be installed in a staggered pattern, the improved sound isolation clip is preferably installed in every intersection between the channel and the structural member while not covered by the support channel, thereby making the installation of the sound isolation clip extraordinarily simple and uncomplicated.